


Pain Of The Past

by RedShirtWriter34567



Category: Jessica Jones (TV), Underworld (Movies)
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Boyfriends, Chronic Pain, Cuddling & Snuggling, Hair Brushing, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Scars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:08:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24159394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedShirtWriter34567/pseuds/RedShirtWriter34567
Summary: Killgrave finds out about Lucian's chronic pain.
Relationships: Zebediah Killgrave/Lucian (Underworld)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 32





	Pain Of The Past

Killgrave rolled over in his sleep, stretching a hand out toward Lucian's side of the bed. When he felt empty sheets instead of the warm skin of his lover, Killgrave grunted and opened his eyes. The bedroom was dark and quiet, the curtains drawn but faint light shining through them. The clock on the nightstand showed that it was three in the morning. The sheets on Lucian's side of the bed were mussed but cold, evidence that Lucian had been gone for awhile. Killgrave propped himself on one elbow, rubbing at his eyes. Did Lucian go out hunting? He usually did late at night, but he always made sure to tell Killgrave beforehand. 

"Lucian?" Killgrave called out groggily.

When there was no reply, he left the bed reluctantly and pulled on some pajama pants over his boxers. He went out into the hallway, looking around and listening. There were no lights on in the house, but Lucian surely was still in the house. Killgrave walked down the hallway, and that was when he heard the heavy breathing. He approached the living room and froze for a second. Lucian was sitting on the couch, shirtless and barefoot, wearing only his boxers. His eyes were closed, his whole body taut as a spring, his clenched hands shaking. His handsome face was tight with pain, his jaw tense as he gritted his teeth.

"Lucian?" Killgrave asked tentatively, entering the room further. 

His lover jumped at his voice and opened his eyes. They were dark with pain and wet with leftover tears. Killgrave felt his heart break a little at the sight and came over, sitting down beside the lycan. 

"What's wrong, love?" Killgrave asked gently. "Did you have a nightmare?"

"No," Lucian answered tightly. "Nothing like that." His voice was thick. "It's nothing. Go back to bed, my love."

"Lucian, come on," Killgrave implored. "You know you can tell me anything."

Lucian seemed to ponder that for a minute. Up close, Killgrave could see the tremors rippling under his skin. After a minute of silence, punctuated by Lucian's breathing, the lycan spoke.

"It's the pain," he admitted softly.

"Pain?" Killgrave asked. "From what? Where?"

"It's all over," Lucian explained, rubbing his shoulder. "Especially my back. The wounds I suffered years ago damaged a lot of the muscle, so much so that even my powers can't heal them. I've tried different remedies over the years, but nothing really helps."

"So, you're in pain all the time?" Killgrave asked, shocked. "You've been in pain all this time? How come you never told me?"

"I don't know," Lucian admitted. "I suppose I didn't want to burden you."

"Lucian, don't be ridiculous," Killgrave told him, placing a hand on his shaking arm. "You will never be a burden to me. I love you."

Lucian managed a smile, but it didn't extend to his eyes like it usually did. 

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Killgrave asked. "Is there anything that helps take the edge off at all?"

Lucian thought for a moment. "Heat helps the best, then ice later."

"Alright," Killgrave said. "Is there any medicine that helps, even a little?"

"There's a bottle of herbal pills in the bathroom," Lucian answered. "Susan makes them for me. I'm not really sure what herbs are in them, but they dull the pain enough that I can go a long time without a flare-up."

"Okay," Killgrave said. "Let's get you to the bathroom."

He helped Lucian slowly to his feet. The lycan winced as the motion caused pain to pulse across his back. He leaned against Killgrave as they walked to the bathroom. Lucian sat on the sink while Killgrave filled the bathtub with warm, soapy water, only stopping when the water only just crested the edge. The soothing, sweet smell of the bath helped Lucian relax as he removed his boxers and let Killgrave help him into the tub. The water instantly helped the pain, soothing the frayed muscles and nerves beneath the lycan's scarred skin. Killgrave sat on the tub's edge, stroking Lucian's hair. He soaked until his fingers began to prune, and Killgrave helped him out of the bath and into his boxers and a black silk robe. 

"Where are your meds?" Killgrave asked.

"The cabinet under the sink," Lucian supplied, sitting on the closed toilet.

Killgrave knelt and opened the cupboard, rummaging around inside it until he procured a brown bottle with a white lid. He unscrewed the lid and tapped out some pills into his palm. 

"How many of these do you usually take?" he asked, looking up at Lucian.

"Two," the lycan answered.

Killgrave nodded and set two pills on the sink, put the bottle away, and filled a glass with water, sliding it and the pills across the sink toward Lucian. He popped the meds into his mouth and swallowed them down with the water. The lycan sighed as he drained the water. The pain was still there, but soon the meds would dull it. He yawned and rubbed a hand across his face. 

"Let's get you back to bed," Killgrave coaxed, helping his boyfriend stand.

They went back to their bedroom, where Lucian slipped out of his robe and crawled into bed, burrowing deep under the covers. Killgrave slipped in beside him, and Lucian quickly wrapped himself around the human, nuzzling into his chest. Killgrave chuckled and stroked his lover's hair.

"I love you, Kevin," Lucian slurred, looking up into his lover's brown eyes.

"I love you too, Lucian," Killgrave replied, caressing his cheek. "Try and get some sleep."

Lucian nodded and closed his eyes. He was soon snoring quietly, his breath ghosting across Killgrave's chest in warm waves. The human smiled and kissed his love's forehead, then fell asleep as well.

The next morning, Lucian woke up feeling stiff, as he often he did after a bad pain flare-up. Killgrave looked down at him when he felt him stirring.

"Hey, good morning," he said, stroking Lucian's hair. "How are you feeling?"

"Stiff," Lucian admitted. "I always get stiff after a bad flare-up."

"Do you need more meds or heat?" Killgrave asked, eyes full of concern.

"Ice helps the stiffness," Lucian answered. "There's a cooling ointment in the bathroom that it'll help."

"Alright," Killgrave said. "I'll go get it."

He left the bed and exited the bedroom. Lucian managed to roll over and sit up, hissing at the stiffness in his back. It felt like his muscles had turned to lead. Killgrave returned, holding a tube of ointment in his hand just as the lycan was trying to stand up.

"Hey, whoa," Killgrave said quickly, rushing over to him. "Easy, love. Easy."

"I'm alright," Lucian replied. 

"Let's go to the living room," Killgrave told him. "I'll cook us breakfast after I help you."

"Okay," Lucian agreed.

The two walked out into the living room, and Lucian sat down on the floor while Killgrave sat on the couch behind him. He flipped open the tube of ointment and poured some onto his left hand, then rubbed them together before massaging it into Lucian's back. The lycan sighed, tipping his head back against his lover's legs.

"Good?" Killgrave asked, a smile in his voice.

"Great," Lucian replied, a lazy grin on his lips. 

Killgrave kissed the top of his head and kept up his massaging, until the cream had been fully absorbed into Lucian's skin. 

"Done," he announced. "How you feel, love?"

"Excellent," Lucian replied. "Thank you, pup."

Killgrave smiled and ran his fingers through his lycan's long hair. They sat in comfortable silence for several minutes, until Killgrave spoke.

"Will the pain come back?" he asked softly.

"It pretty much never goes away," Lucian admitted. "The meds help dull it to a more tolerable level, but some days, like last night, it flares up out of nowhere, wakes me up and keeps me awake until it dies down and I can take my medicine."

"Wow," Killgrave whispered. "Does it effect your lycan forms?"

"Amazingly, no," Lucian answered. "Only in my human form does it bother me. I'm not really sure why." He hesitated for a second, biting down on his lower lip. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. The only person I ever told about the pain was Susan, and I didn't want to worry or be a burden to you."

"It's okay, love," Killgrave promised. "I understand. But I'm glad I know now, so that I can help you if and when it flares up again."

Lucian smiled and turned around to face him, pulling his human down and into a kiss. He felt somehow lighter now that Killgrave knew about his pain, but treated it with patience and gentleness, compassion rather than loathing. Killgrave pulled out of the kiss, stroking Lucian's jawline with his fingertips. They two of them would never grow tired of sharing their vulnerability with each other. It brought them closer together, let them see the parts that they kept hidden from others. 

"Thank you for telling me, Lucian," Killgrave said softly. "I love you."

"You're welcome," Lucian replied. "I adore you, pup."

Killgrave smiled and got up from the couch, helping Lucian to his feet and onto the couch.

"Sit tight, love," he said. "I'll get started on breakfast, yeah?"

"Don't take too long," Lucian warned. "I'm beginning to feel stiff somewhere else." He winked.

Killgrave blushed adorably and bit his lip, before getting up and heading to the kitchen. Lucian laughed at his lover's endearing shyness and stretched out across the sofa, the cream already easing the stiffness in his muscles.


End file.
